


Discovery

by GreyDrakkon (Ranaspel)



Category: Pathfinder (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Gen, Growing Up, Post Battle, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28860762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ranaspel/pseuds/GreyDrakkon
Summary: Some thoughts from Corco's pov immediately after a battle, where she's still trying to adjust to the new teammate, and struggling with her own plans.
Relationships: team building - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	Discovery

It was vexing that they had only managed to slay one out of the three Wyverns, especially since the stupid beasts were just barely intelligent enough to go blabbing to the Hill Giants that lived in the valley. Still, it was pretty great that Rend had gotten chewed on and then spat out from a flying Wyvern's mouth while it hurtled out of the cave. 

Somehow managing to make the awkward movements of the spiderclimb spell look...not exactly elegant, but at least otherworldly, Sebastian made his way to the floor from the cavern's roof at the same time Rend clambered up from the slope he had been inelegantly deposited. Pausing her search of the dark skies, Corco turned her gaze to watch the Dhampir, her eyes safely hidden from view under the large brim of her hat. Sebastian seemed unsteady, and the reason was obvious as he lifted an arm, punctured by the stinging tail from one of the fleeing Wyverns and oozing nasty venom. She swayed in place indecisively, should she help him? 

Rend seemed to forget his disgruntlement as he spotted Sebastian rolling up his sleeve, exposing the wound. Having him there made the decision easy, she refused to stand near Rend if she could help it. The flare-up of sour anger was easy to ignore though with such an unusual sight in front of her.

They both watch as Sebastian digs out some kind of medical kit and applies a poultice, activating it with his strange magics. Rend is obviously fascinated with the process, but Corco can't stop looking at the fine structure of Sebastian's wrist bones, his eerily pale skin, flawless except for the terrible gash which now was actively pushing out the venom. Or, not quite flawless, she noticed a bit of light tracery on the skin, but it was hard to tell what it was. She had never seen this much of his skin before, and even though she knew it was just an arm exposed from elbow to fingertips, she couldn't help but stare and wonder what it would feel like under her hands. Would it be cold, like the healing spell he had used on her?

*Why don't you help him lick it clean?* Maddy nattered into her ear, whiskers brushing her cheek teasingly.

Stiffening up Corco spins away from her gawking at the Dhampir and blurts out louder than she intended. "I'm going to see what's in the cave!"

*Coward.*  
~You stop! I wasn't doing anything!~  
*Hah. Keeeeep telling yourself that.* Maddy kneaded her though the layers of robes on her shoulder and tightened her dragonish tail around Corco's neck. *You're flushed. Fortunately I got you to move away before Rend caught scent of you. Hm. For that matter, we don't know how well Dhampir can smell...We'll need to test that.*

"We shouldn't go alone, lass, it's na' safe here." Sebastian's soft voice made her feel even more mortified about the whole thing as she hurried her steps. She didn't exactly ignore him though, and as a concession to his sensible words she hustled past the Warpriest.

"Padwick, come on!" The Half Elf looks up from healing his own wound from their unexpected encounter. Nodding, he walks alongside her. In his quiet way he keeps her from going too far, not even out of sight of the rest of the team. It's enough for her to rebalance herself. She's unsure if he realizes how much Maddy is constantly talking, the black cat running a constant narrative about the stink of the place, and oh it looks like there's something interesting down that way, and you know what Spiderclimb seems to be a stupid spell, at least when it comes to fighting. 

After a bit they're joined by the other two who Corco pretends to not notice, speaking only when she can't help but blurt out something Maddy is narrating to her. To her surprise at least, they discover a small chest tucked away in one of the side caves, brimming with precious stones, coin, and even a precious artwork or two. She's vaguely interested until Sebastian and Rend spot something tucked away in a crevice behind the chest, and her heart is hammering wildly. A staff. And not just a stick, like what she carries around, but something from long long ago, from the age of the Runelords. She had theories about their magic, but up until now the only transportable object infused with their magic was the amulet she wore, and that was a laughably paltry amount of magic compared to what it once was. A staff though. She doesn't remember even picking it up, or who she had taken it from, all her focus was on it. Her gloved hands spun it around, examining every aspect of it. Her eyes glowed with a flare of magic, and she could feel the pulse deep within the staff that said yes, it was empty and had been waiting so, so, long for someone to find it and instill it with purpose once again. 

::Speak to me, who are you?:: The staff is wooden, ancient and capped with a filigree of iron. Nestled in the ironwork is a stone, cloudy and swirling, it reminds her of her own eyes but pale and grey instead of hues of blue. ::Stone...and... Sky:: Clutching it to her she's nearly giddy. One of the spells that belongs to it is familiar to her, giving her the key to unlocking its waiting potential. She could recharge it! 

The rest of the evening is a blur as they lay their plans in the cave. She sits cross legged, staff across her knees while Maddy sniffs it all over giving her opinion on the craftsmanship and provenance that she's only halfway listening to, much like she's only partly listening to her other companions. ::Soon, soon you'll be awake again, and I can find out more…:: She spends the rest of the evening thinking of ancient magic, how it had changed through the ages, and whether or not she would ever be able to attain that level of knowledge and power in her life. Maybe then...Maybe then she could stop things from just happening to her, and her family...and her friends.


End file.
